Crows have long been recognized for their extraordinary cognitive abilities, and recent scientific findings have added an astonishing new skill to their repertoire.
A group of researchers has uncovered that crows can articulate distinct counts using their cawing sounds, in response to various visual and auditory signals. Although other creatures like honeybees have shown capabilities of understanding quantities, this particular form of numeric expression has not been documented in any other non-human species.
“The deliberate production of a certain number of vocalizations reflects a complex blend of numerical understanding and vocal control,” the research team, led by neuroscientist Diana Liao from the University of Tübingen, Germany, explains.
“This is the first time such an ability has been shown in wildlife. We demonstrate that crows can intentionally emit between one to four vocalizations when confronted with cues signifying particular numerical values.”
The capacity for vocal counting goes beyond mere number recognition. It involves vocal control with communicative intent, a trait well established in humans, particularly during early childhood as they learn to count.
Young children, when learning numerical associations with quantities, may initially mix up the number sequence. Instead of reciting “one, two, three,” a child might say “one, one, four” or “three, ten, one,” accurately voicing the count whilst getting the words mixed up.
The origins of symbolic counting in biology are a mystery, but corvids’ known grasp of abstract numerical concepts, like the concept of zero, motivated Liao’s team to explore their numeral vocalization abilities.
The study focused on three carrion crows (Corvus corone), trained to make a certain number of sounds, from one to four, in response to specific symbols or sounds. After cawing the instructed number, they would peck at a target to indicate completion.
The crows consistently matched the correct number of vocalizations to the cues, with errors being minor, usually consisting of an additional or missing caw.
Resembling the approach of human toddlers, the crows appeared to use a non-symbolic method of enumeration, wherein they plan their vocalizations in advance.
The initial sound in a sequence often predicted the total number of sounds to follow, and each caw had unique characteristics depending on its position in the count.
This ability is noteworthy considering that controlled vocalization is generally more challenging and slower than simpler actions like pecking or head movements.
It may suggest an undiscovered form of avian communication in nature, similar to chickadees which use variable “dee” sounds to signal the presence of larger predators.
“Our findings confirm that crows can consciously adapt their vocalizations to depict specific quantities,” the team elaborates in their published work. “This skill in crows also parallels the enumeration abilities of young children before assimilating the cardinal meanings of numbers, implying it may be an evolutionary antecedent of genuine counting in complex symbol systems.”
The study has been documented in the journal Science.
FAQs About Crows’ Numerical Vocalization Abilities
- Can all corvids count out loud?
Currently, the study focused specifically on carrion crows, and while corvids as a group are known for their intelligence, this particular ability has only been documented in carrion crows. - How do researchers know that crows are counting and not just making random noises?
The crows were trained to respond to visual and auditory cues by producing a specific number of caws, and they did so with a high level of accuracy, indicating an understanding of counting concepts rather than random vocalization. - Is this ability unique to crows among non-human animals?
While other animals have shown an understanding of numbers, the crows’ vocal counting as described in the study is a unique manifestation of numerical literacy observed thus far. - Could this discovery impact our understanding of animal communication?
Yes, it suggests there may be a more advanced and previously unrecognized channel of communication in avian species and potentially other animals. - What does this ability tell us about the evolutionary origins of counting?
It hints that non-symbolic counting systems, like the one observed in crows, may be a precursor to the symbolic and systematic counting seen in humans.
Conclusion
The ability of crows to count aloud, as revealed by the recent study, adds to the extensive evidence of their cognitive prowess and expands our understanding of avian intelligence. The implications of these findings suggest that some birds might use numerical vocalizations as a form of communication, and this discovery could pave the way for further exploration into the evolutionary roots of counting and numerical cognition in other species. The parallels drawn between crows and human toddlers not only expose an intersection between the cognitive development of avians and humans but also showcase the universality of foundational mathematical principles across the animal kingdom.